"...He is an extraordinary guitarist,
gifted with immense technique and feeling (comparable only to his modesty) which
make him a master, better still, "The Master" for all musicians (not only guitar
players) who "work" in the Brazilian style. His music (style, composition, sense
of rythm) stems from the most pure and authentic Brazilian origin (he's
carioca: was born in Rio de Janeiro), and establishes him full in the Brazilian cultural heriage, just as jazz, whose root are identical, is anchored in the African-American cultural heritage.

Irio De Paula's music finds its roots in jazz and his native land's popular music, but also in other folk backgrounds, in which African-American and South American traditions have met and grown together.

Irio De Paula literally shines when it comes to "bossa", samba and ballads, and plays them with such passion and refined style that even the "goldies", such as Garota de Ipanema, Dindi
or A felicidade are given a new, fresh interpretation. In all pieces, including either compositions by Jobim and Lobo or his own, his personatily is present, and with a contagious energy, he expresses his irresistible love of life in fast tempos, and in the slower ones, his inner melancholy world." (S.Angius)

Critics have defined Irio De Paula as "the most fascinating Brazilian guitarist" and indeed, throughout his log carreer (at only 6 years old was already playning in a band with his brothers and broadcast on the radio in Rio), he has played with the best mudicians of his country:
Paulo Moura, Baden Powell, Rauzinho, Djalma Ferreira,
Juarez, and many others, from Astrud Gilberto to Chico Buarque.

In the 1970s, Irio De Paula toured Europe with the brazilian singer
Elza Soares, and after taking part in the Pescara jazz Festival with his own trio, he decided to stay and reside in Italy. From that time on, he has been host to the main musical programmes af the RAI (Italian Radio) and to Italian TV programmes, such as Domenica in, Per una sera d'estate, Amico flauto, etc.

He has taken part in numerous jazz festivals. Hi has performed either solo or with his trio in the mast prestigious and notorius theatres, such as the Theatre Sistina in Rome, The Petruzzelli in Bari, the Piccolo Regio in Turin, the Metastasio in Prato, the Rossini in Pesaro, the Politeama Greco and the Paisiello in Lecce, Umbria Jazz and many more.

He has also played with Gato Barbieri st the Metz and Liegi Festivalas, and with
Barney Kessel and Tal Farlow, Toots Thielemans, Buster Williams, Bobby Durham, Jimmy Cobb; at the "Birdland" in New York he performed solo, with the Brazilian trumpetist Claudio Roditi and also with
David Sanchez.

He has also performed as solist with the Synphonic Orchestra af Sanremo and Palermo, and with the "Modigliani" of Tuscany and of Lecce.

Irio De Paula "is a true virtuoso: he plays acoustic just as easily as electric guitar, and is just as good on a six, seven or twelve-string guitar. He is also probably one of the word's best plsyers of "cavaquinho", a typical brazilian instrument – a small four-string guitar; and he is excellent as well at viola dinamica and percussions.